Going Big by Living Small

Going Big by Living Small

Micro Houses – structures that are often smaller than 200 square feet – have captured the attention of mainstream media and the hearts of thousands of Americans. They may be portable or fixed-in-place and may stand-alone or may be tethered to a “normal” house for utilities. These wee buildings are used as backyard studios, extra bedrooms, guest suites or full-time residences. Tiny House advocates explain that these small simple structures provide a flexible, affordable, reasonable (albeit small) solution for residential use, urban infill, and pocket communities. But what sort of person would actually want to live in (or next to) a house with less square footage than a roll of paper towels? Dee will offer her experience designing and building micro-houses with a focus on the unique benefits and challenges of taking small to the extreme.

Dee Williams is a designer, builder and certified tiny house nut! She teaches workshops across the country, with a focus on green building and micro-housing. She’s also authored a how-to e-book, Go House Go, and has consulted with hundreds of people to design and build their own micro homes. She’s been featured in Yes! Magazine, TIME Magazine, on Good Morning America, The New York Times, National Public Radio, PBS, and other media. In 2008, Dee won the Washington State Governor’s Award for Sustainable Practices. Dee’s house is currently featured in a five-year exhibit, House and Home, at the National Building Museum in Washington DC. You can see the video on YouTube.